Electric train-control system.



A. J. ALLARD. ELECTRIC TRAINTONTROL sYs'rBu. APPLICATION FILED JUNEZ,1913.

1 .100,644. Patented June 16,1914.f

2 sHm :Tssnnn'r 1.

WITNESSES A Home A. J. ALLARD.

ELECTRIC TRAINDONTROL SYSTEM.

I 1 APPLICATION FILED JUNEZ, 1913. 1,1OQ,644 Patented June 16, 1914.

2 SHEETB-SHEIIT 2.

WITNESSES UNITED STAiILE IiQZFENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. ALLABD, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ABSIGNOB OF ONE-THIRD TO '1. F.

GREEN AND ONE-THIRD '10 D. B. CBEECY, JR,

BOTH F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J one 16, 1914.

Application flied Jane 2, 1918. Serial No. 771,818.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Axum-1w J. ALLARD of Richmond, in the county ofHenrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Train- Control System; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

lhis invention relates to improvements in electric signaling systems forrailroads,- the object of the invention being to provide means forautomatically controlling the speed of trains at curves, crossings,bridges or other places where reduced speed of trains is desirable.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafterset forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompan ing drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatica view of thecircuits and devices employed on the rollin equipment: Fig. 2 is adetail view of one o the electromagnetically operated devices whichcooperates with the cam on the speedometer shaft; Fig. 3 is an enlargedview of one of the polarized relays; and Figs. 4:, 5, 6, 7, 8 and t) arediagrammatical views showing the track circuits for curves of diil'erentde grees.

My improvements contemplate the employment of means on the rollingequipment which operate to control the application and release of thebrakes, and partial electric circuits along the railroad at or nearcurved portions thereof for automatically controlling the operation ofsaid means on the rolling equipment in such manner that the speed of thetrain will be checked according to the degree of the curve which thetrain may be approaching or to stop the train when it approaches a sharpcurve, such instance, as a curve over which the train should not run ata speed greater than ten miles an hour.

In Figs. 4 to t), I have shown curved track sections having dillercntdegrees of curvature aml over which trains should be run atcorrespondingly different speeds; thus, Fig. 4 may be described asrepresenting a ten-mile curve; Fig. 5 a twenty-mile curve; Fig. 6 athirty-mile curve; Fig. 7 a forty-mile curve; Fig. 8 a forty-mile curve,and Fig. 9 a sixty-mile curve. Near each of these curves, certainpartial electric circuits are provided for cooperation with partialcircuits for controlling the devices on the devices on the rollingequipment approaching the curve.

In each of the Figs. 4 to 9 of the drawings, 1, 2 represent the trackrails. Near the ten mile curve shown in Fig. 4, the track rail 1 isconnected by a conductor 3 with the negative pole of a battery 4 and thepositive pole of this battery is connected by a conductor 5 with acontact rail 6 located near the track rail 1. Another con tact rail 7 islocated some distance in advance of rail 6 and is connected by aconductor 8 with one ole of a battery 9,-the other pole of this batterybeing connected, by a conductor 10 with conductor 5 between t is contactrail 6 and the battery 4.

In Fig. 5, the contact rail 1 is connected by a conductor 11 with thepositive pole of a battery 12, the negative pole of this battery beingconnected, by a conductor 13 with a contact rail 14 located near therail 1 and extending around the curved portion of the track.

In Fig. 6, the track rail 1 is connected by a conductor 15 with thenegative pole of a battery 16, and the positive pole of this battery isconnected b a conductor 17 with a contact rail 18, the latter beinglocated a farther distance from the track rail 1 than are the contactrails (l, 7 and 12, and is )rcferably extended around the curve oi thetrack,

In Fig. 7, the track rail 1 is connected by a conductor 10 with thepositive pole of a battery 20, and the negative pole of this battery isconnected, by a conductor 21, with a contact rail 22 located the samedistance from the track rail 1 as is the contact rail 18 and alsoextended around the curve of the track.

In Fi 8, two contact rails 23-41 are located dlil'ercnt distances fromtrack rail 1 and extend around the curve. The contact rail 23 isconnected by a conductor 25 with the negative pole of a battery 26 andthe negative pole of this battery is connected, by a conductor 27 withcontact rail 24.

In Fig. 9, two contact rails 28-29 are employed, the same as in Fig. Therail 28 is connected by-a conductor with the rails shown in Figs. 4 and5 and the con-' tact rails 23 and 28 of Figs. 8 and 9, are intended forcooperation with a contactshoe"3 3 on the rolling equipment, while thecontact rails of Figs. 6 and 7 and the con tactrails 24 and 29 ofltigs.8 and9 are intended for c05perati0n with a contact shoe 34 on therolling equipment.

It will be observed that the circuit connections of the track rail andthe contact rails with the batteries are reverse to each other in Figs.6 and 7, and the same is true regarding the circuit connections-of thecontact rails and batteries shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The reasons for sucharrangements of circuits at the different curves of the road will behereinafter made apparent. Provision is shown in the drawings to controlthe progress of train on curves of six different degrees of curvature,but I do not wish to limit myself to controlling means for thisparticular number of curves 30 f 'and will show and describe circuitsand denor to any particular speeds of trains,'.butor convenience, I haveshown six curves vices for use on the rolling equipment, to

cotiperate with the track circuits adjacent-- to such curve. It may alsobe here stated that my improvements are adapted for. use in reducing thespeed-of trains to any pre determined degree at the approach ofcrossings, bridges, etc., as well as the approach of curves.

In the cab of therolling equipment, a speedometer 35 is located and itsshaft 36 is connected in any suitable manner with an axle of the same.The shaft of the speedometer carries a pointer 37 to register with ascale 38 graduated in miles, and to said shaft, a cam plate or disk 39is secured and electrically connected. The cam plate or disk 39. isintendedfior electrical cooperation with six contact rods 40, 41, 42,43, 44, 45, connected respectively, with the pivoted armature levers 46of electro-magnets 47,

Six polarized relays 53. 54, 55,. 56,57, 58 are provided for controllingthe operation of the magnets 475 2, and for the armature lever of eachof these relays, an active contact 59 and. a dead contact are pronectedby a conductor 64 with one terminal vided. .The armature levers ofrelays 53-54 are connected by a conductor 61 and'the armature levers ofrelays 55-56 are connected by a conductor 62, whilethe armature'leversof the relays 57--58 are connected by a con ductor 63. V

The activecontact 59 of relay 53 is conof magnet 47 and theotherterminal of this magnet is connected by a conductor with conductor 65 isconne'cted'by a conductor 68 with one terminal of magnet 48, and theother terminal of this magnet is connected 3 by a conductor 69 with theactive contact 59 of relay 54. One terminal of magnet 49 is connected,by a conductor 7O and-the other terminal of this battery is connected bya conductor 71 with-the positive pole ofa battery 72 while the otherpole of this battery is connected, by a conductor 73 with the conductor62. The conductor 71 is connected by. a conductor 74 with one terminalof magnet 50, and the other terminal of this magnet is connected withthe active contact 59 of relay 56. One terminal of magnet 51 isconnected,-by a conductor 75 with the active contact 59 of-the relay57,

and the other terminal 'of this magnet. is

connected by a conductor 76 with the posi tire pole of a battery 77, theother pole of the latter being connected by a conductor 7 8 with theconductor 63. One terminal of the magnet 52 is connected by a conductor79 with theconductor 76, While the other terminal ofthis magnet-isconnected, by a conductor 89with the active contact- 59 of v relay 58.

One terminal of. thecoil, of relay 53 is connected by a conductor 81with coils 81 of magnet 81 and the other terminals of these coils isconnected by a conductor 81 with contact: shoe 33. The.other terminal ofrelaycoil is connected by a conductor 82 with one terminal of the coilof relay 54, the other terminal of the latter being connected .by aconductor 83 with a conductor 84 and this conductor is connected at oneend with the contact. rod 40. terminal of the coil of relay55 isconnected by a conductor 85 with a conductor 86, the latter beingconnected at one end with one terminal of the coil of relay 57 and atthe other endwith oneterminal of coils 81 on magnets 81 andtheotherterminal of these coils is connected by a conductor 86 with contact shoe34. The other terminal of the coil of relay 55 is connected by aconductor 87 with one terminal of the coil of relay 56 and the otherterminal of the latter is connected. by a conductor 88. with the truckframe as indicated at 89. The other termi- V nal of the coil of relay 57is connected by a conductor 90, with one terminal of the coil of relay58, and with the other terminal of the latter, one end of a conductor 91is connected. The other end of this conductor is connected with the camplate flf) on the speedometer shaft and includes in its circult a highresistance electro-magnet 92.

An electro-magnetically operated brake One valve is indicated at 93 andis preferablyi such as will effect the gradual application and releaseof the bra Res. One terminal of the electro-magnet 94 of lns valvemechanism is connected by a conductor 95 with the positive pol of abattery 96', the other pole of this bat ery being connected by aconductor 97 'with the conductor 91. The other terminal of the coil ofmagnet 94 is connected by a conductor 98 with a conductor 99. Theconductor 99 is connected at one end with the contact rods 41, 42, 43,44 and 45, and at the other end with the conductoi' 91 and includes inits circuit, a normally open circuit closer 1'00. The movable member ofthis circuit closer is n orm all'y held out of engagement with thestationary contact, by a latch 101 controlled by the magnet 92.-

c The-magnets 81 control an armature lever 1 02 which constitutes alatch for a signal block 103. The armature lever also forms "thesmovablemember. of a circuit closer 104 included in a normally open circuit 105with a battery 106 and an audible signal 107.

My improved system may be operated as follows :Let it be assumed that atrain is approaching the ten-mile curve illustrated in Fig. 4 at a speedless than ten miles an hour and that the contact shoe 33 has engaged thecontact rail 6; Under these conditions, the circuits would beestablished. From battery/1 to conductor 5, to contact rail 6, shoe 33,t0 conductor 81, through magnet coils 81 to conductor 81, to relay 53,to conductor 82, to relay 54, to conductor 93, to conductor 84, toconductor 88, to truck frame 89, to track rail 1 to conductor 3 tobattery 4. The current in this circuit will energize magnets 81 andoperate armature lever 102 to trip the visual signal 103 and close thelocal circuit including the audible signal 107. If the train be runningat a speed greater than tenmiles an hour, the shaft of the speedometerwill have turned sutliciently to bring the cam disk 39 in line with thecontact rod 40. Under these conditions, when the contact shoe 33 engagesthe contact rail 7, both batteries 4 and 9 will be included in serieswith each othec, and the following circuits will be estab lished:Frombattery 4, to conductor 10, through battery 9, to conductor 8 to contactrail 7, to shoe 33, to conductor 81 to conductor 91, at which point thecircuit divides, one branehinchuling the magnet coils 81* and relaycoils 5354, as before described, and the other branch may be traced byway of conductor 91 (including magnet to cam disk 39. The energizing ofthe relay 53 by the current in the tirst-mentimied branch ofthe-circuit, will close the local circuit including battery 96 andmagnet 47.;

latter so that the conthus energizing the engagetact rod 40 will beprojected inv ment with the camdisk. The tracing of, the second branch 0be continued from cam disk 39 to contact rod 40, to conductor 84, wherethe two branches of the circuit unite and the re mainde of 'the circuitmay then be traced by conductor 88 to truck'frame 89 to t ack rail 1, toconductor 3 to battery 4 Thus it will be seen that when a shoe 33engages contact rail '7, the magnet coils 81 and coils of relas53-54will be in luded in parallel with the magnet 92, The eme ging ing of thehighresistan e magnet 92 in one of these circuit branches will cause herelease of the movable member o f'the tircuit closer 100 and thus effectthe closing ofa circuit which may be traced as follows: From battery 96to conductor 95, through brake valve magnets 94, to conductor 98, toconductor 99, through circuit-closer 100 to conductor 91 to conductor 97to battery 96. The current in this circuit will energize the valvemagnets 94 and cause the operation of the valve to apply the brakes andstop the train. Assumt, now that the train is approaching thetwenty-mile curve shown in Fig. 5, at a speed greater than twenty milesan hour. When thecontact shoe 33 engages the contact rail 14, the samecircuit as first lb0"8 described through the magnet coils 81 and relays53 54 will be established, except that the path of the current will bere versed,the positive pole of the battery for the track circuits beingconnected to track rail and the negative pole to the contact rail inFig. 5. In consequence of this, the armature lever of the polarizedrelay will not be moved and hence the circuit of magnet 47 will be keptvopen, but the polarized relay 54 will mo\-e*its armature lever andclose the local circuit including the battery 66 and magnet 48, thuscausing the contact rod 41 to be projected into engagement with the camdisk 39, which, at this time will have been sutiiciently turned byreason of tie speed of the t1 '11, to be in position to receive saidcontact rod 41. Engagement of the contact rod 41 with cam disk 39 willclose a local circuit as follows: From battery 96 by conductor 95 tovalve magnets 94, to conductor 93 to conductor 99, to con:

tact rod 41, to cam disk 39, to conductor 91, to conductor 97, tobattery 90. The current in this circuit will energize thv magnets 94 andstart the operation of t "c brake valve. The operation of this vayvcwill cause the gradual application of the brakes to check the speed ofthe train. \Vhenthe speed of the train shall have been reduced belowtwenty miles an hour. the local circuit of the battery and brake valvemagnets 94, will be opened bv the retrograde movement of the cam diskout of engagement with the contact rod (L -thus dei ncrgizing thecircuit may nowl the brake valve magnets and permitting the gradualrelease of the brakes. As the contact ra l 1t extends around the curve,the brakes would be again applied if the train should exceed a'speed oftwenty-miles an hour while traveling on the curve.

When a train approaches the thirty-mile curve, Fig. 6, the contact shoe3t engages the contact rail 18, a circuit will be established asfollows: From positive pole of battery 16, to conductor 17, to contactrail 18, to shoe 34, to conductor 86, to magnet coil 81 to conductor S6.to conductor 85, to coil of relay 55, to conductor 7, to coil of relay5G to conductor to truck frame Q9, to track rail 1, to conductor 15 tonegatii'e pole of battery 16. This will cause the closing of the localsignai ircuit 10.3 as betoreexplained and the energizing of thepolarized relays 55 and 56. The armature lever of the relay 56 will notbe moved. but the armature leverof the rela 5-3 will be shifted to closethe local circuit including the battery 72 and magnet l9, thus causingthe contact rod 42 to be projected into contact with the cam disk 39.which latter has been moved (by reason of the speed of the train)sutlicientlv to be in position to receive said contact rod. En gagemcntof the contact rod 4-2 with the cam disk will close the local circuit ofthe battery 96 and brake valve magnets 94 as previously explained, andcause the operation ot the brakes in the same manner as above stated indescribing the control of the brakes at the twentyanile curve.

At the forty-mile curve (Fig. 7) the cir cuit connections of the batteryare the rcverse of those hown in Fig (h -that is to say, in Fig. T thepositive pole of batter .30 is conne ted with the. brake rail and thenegative pole is connected with the conta t rail 22. Thus when. the shoefl-t oi the train engages the contact rail 32 (for the tort)- milccurve) the direction of the current through the circuit including thecoils of relavs 35- will be rcvcrsc' to that above described. resultingin the shifting of the armature lever of relay 56 instead of relay 5;?and the energizing of magnet 50 to project the contact rod 4 3 intoengagement with the cam disk for closing the local circuit whichcontrols the brake valve (lt}\'lt't For each of the liltv and sixtv-milc curves. two parallcl contact rails are ciuplo cd to ccii'pcratewith the two shoes and lt on the rolling equipment. in H which shows thefifty-mile curve. the positive pole of the battery it is connccted withthe contact rail 24 and the negative pole is connected with the contactrail 23, while in thc arrangement shoun in Fig. 9, (showing the sixtymile curve) these connections are reversed,--viz. in said Fig. 9, thepositive pole of battery 31 is connected with the inner contact rail 3.

When a train approaches the fifty mile curve the contact shoes 33 and 34will en age both contact rails 23-2 and establish encuits as follows:From positive pole of battery 2G to contact. rail '24, to shoe 34, toconductor 86 to magnet coils 81 to conductor 86, to coil of relay 57, tocoil of relay 58, to conductor 91, to conductor 81, to shoe 33-, tocontact 23 to negative pole of to shift its armature lever the armaturelever of relay 58 remaining stationary) and close the ,local circuit ofbattery and magnet 51 to project contact rod 44 .into engagement withthe cam disk 39 for estab lishing the circuit of thebattery 9t) andbrake valve n'lagnets 94; as previously explained.

When the contact shoes 33-34 bridge the contact rails 2829 at thesixty-mile curve, Fig. 9, the same circuits through the coils of rcla vs5758 as above described will be established, except the currentdircctionwvill be reversed and hence the relay 58 will now shift itsarmature lever (the armature lever of relay 5? remaining stationary) toclose the local circuit of magnet and project the contact rod 45 toengage the cam 39 and close the circuit of the brake valve controllingmeans.

It will be observed that at all 'curves,'the visual and audible signalswill be operated; that at the ten mile curve the train will be broughtto a full stop and that at all other curves, the speed of the train willbe checked to a 1n-edcterniined speed and kept at such predeterminedspeed until the train shall have 1 IS -Qti the curve.

VtH'lOlh slight changes might be made in the details of construction ofmy invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope and hence I do not wish to l( tl'lc myseli to the precise detailsherein set forth.

.ll a ving fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto SCCUIQ by LettQl'Je-lhlitllt,li 1

1. In an electrical train control system, the combination with arailroad, rolling equipment, and speed-controlling means on the rollingequipment, of electrical means for controlling said speed-controllingmeans, electrical selecting means on the rolling equipment forcontrolling said electrical means, speed responsive means operativelyconnected with said selecting means, and a pluralitv of partial electriccircuits along the railroad and means for connecting said partialcircuits with circuits of the electrical. sclcctive nieiirhanism on therolling equipment.

in airelectric train control system, the combination with a railroad,rollingequipment, and speedcontrolling means on the rolling equipment,of electrical mechanism on the rolling equipment for controllingbattery. The current in this circuit will cause the relay 57' said speedcontrollin means, a s eedometer the-r0 in equipoperatively connec withment connections between the sipee ometer and said electrical mechanismor control- 1mg the latter, and electrical means along the railroadcooperating with the s eedometer connections and with said e ectricalmech nism for controlling the latter in ac-' corda ce with the speed anposition of the rolling equipment. I

3. In an electric train co rol system, the combination with a railroad,rolling equipment, and brake-controlling means,of electricallycontrolled mechanism on the rolling equipment for governing saidbrake-control ling means, a speedometer operatively connected with therolling equipment 'for controllin the o eration of, said electricallycontrolled mec: anism, and electrical means arranged along the railroadfor cooperation with said speedometer and said electrically controlledmechanism for controlling the op- 1eration of the latter to control thebrake- I ically controlled.

lated to said partialcircuits controlling means according topredetermined speed? and positions of the rolling 4. In an electrictrain control system, the

combination with a railroad, a rolling equipment, brake controllingmeans on the rolling uipment, and electro-magnetically controlled meansfor controlling the operation of said brake controlling means, of aspeedometer on the rolling equipment, an electric circuit inch'iti'ih'gsaid electro-magnetically controlled means and a plurality of contactsarranged to be closed successively by the speedometer, a plurality ofelectro-magnetically controlled devices for controlling the relation ofsaid contacts to the speedometer and means for controlling the operation0 the last-mentioned electro-magnetcontrolled devices, whereby the speedof the rolling equipment will be Varied and 5. In an electric traincontrol system, the combination with a railroad, a rolling equipment,brake controlling means on he r0 1- ing e uipment, and electro-maetically contro ed means for controlling t e operation of said brakecontrolling means, of a speedometer on the rolling equipment, acontactmember movable by the speedometer, a

plurality of contacts for said contact memr, normally open circuits1ncluding said contacts and contact member and said electro-magneticallycontrolled means, partial circuits at difierent points along therailroad, and electrically controlled means on the rolling equipment andcooperatively refor controlling the operative relation of each of saidcontive relation atively rela' tacts to the contact member of the speedsometcr.

6. In an electric train control system, the

combination with a railroad, a rolling equip ment, brake controllingmeans therefor, an

clectro magnetically controlled means for controlling the operation ofthe brake controlling means, of a speedometer on the rolling equipment,a contact member movable by thespeedometer, a plurality of movablecontacts to cooperate with said contact member, normally open electriccircuits including said contacts, cowember and the electro-magneticallycont d means of the brake controlling means, electro-magnets for movingeach of said contacts-into operato said for controlling the circuits ofthe several ma ets, partial circuits on the rollin equipment includingsaid relays-and partia circuits at different points alomggthe railroadand each havin cooperative relation to the partial circuit 0 one oranother of said relays, whereby the movable contacts will he moved intoelectrical relation to the contact member accordingRtO the-.speed 'ofthe rolling equipment.

7. In an electric train control system, the combination with a railroad,rolling equipment, brake controllin means, and electromagnetlcallycontrolle ,Wans for controltie ling the operation of rake controlling'means, of a speedometer on the rolling a contactmember mgvable byequipment, the speedometer, a plurality of movable conmember,

tacts to cooperate with said contact normally open said contacts,contact member arid'the electro-magnetically controlled means of thebrake controlling means, partial electric circuits along the railroad,means on the rolling equipment having cooperative relation sq saidpartial circuits for controlling the movements of said contacts, anormally open circuit on the rolling equipment including theelectrormagnetically controlled means of the brake cont-rolling means, anormally open circuit closer in sa1dcircuit an electro gneticallycontrolled device for said cirma cuit closer, and a artial circ'uitincluding the magnet of sai last mentioned electromagnetically rmtrolleddevice and cooperd to a partial circuit along the railroad,

'In testimony specification in ing witnesses.

ANDREW J. ALLARD. Witnesses':

R. S. Fnucnson, E. I. Norrmcuazu.

I have signed this whereof,

two subscr1b-- the presence of electric circuits, including

